Nintendo confirmed that Wii U, its next-generation console, will be region-locked when it launches in November. This means that players will be restricted to buying games from their home region.

Players are known to import titles from Japan, for example, because of earlier release dates. An example is Pokemon Black/White, which launched significantly earlier in Japan than Europe and the U.S. Imports come at the cost of playing in a foreign language, though obtaining a game never to be released in the western world may be a coup for gamers.

Nintendo consoles since the original Nintendo DS have been region-locked. Mainstream consumers may not even be aware of how to import games from eastern regions; Wii's audience is largely made up of new gamers, so the demographic may transfer over to  Wii U.

Nintendo is keen to bring in 'core' gamers, though, evidenced by the announcement of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 for the console. Whether Nintendo's new online matchmaking brings in a sizeable audience for the game remains to be seen. The general opinion is that Xbox 360 is the home for Call of Duty despite releases on PlayStation 3 and PC.

The move contrasts Sony's and Microsoft's PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles, respectively. The difference is that Wii U games may be locked to their home regions, so users would have to import an entire console to get around the problem. Microsoft is seen as a stricter console manufacturer than Sony, so Nintendo's news may not go down well with skeptical consumers.

Consumers may be interested to also see if Microsoft and Sony follow Nintendo with next-generation consoles. Moving into a digital-only future removes the need to region-lock, like with Xbox Live Arcade or PlayStation Network. The next generation may see a divide between digital and physical releases. The trend for high definition ('HD') release is mainly digital download. The arguments against digital-only futures, though, are unlimited, and fast internet connections not widely available.

Wii U launches Nov. 18 in the U.S. and November 22 in the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Basic and Premium editions are available, with the latter bundled with NintendoLand (or ZombiU in Amazon UK's case).